Antisplitting iron



Feb. 17, 1942. BEEGLE 2,273,508

ANIISPLITTING IRON Filed June 14, 1940 INV NT OR.

Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTISPLITTING IRON Raymond E. Beegle, East St. Louis, 111.

Application June 14, 1940, Serial No.,340,492

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in antisplitting irons, and more particularly to timber anchors, frequently designated in the trade as tie-irons, adapted for preventing checkingand splitting of railway cross ties or other timber.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved anti-splitting device adapted for ready and easy driving into a railway cross tie, and one which is so formed and constructed as to possess a maximum holding power, and an effective and eflicient split-controlling function, the iron being superior in theforegoing respects, to existing and prevailing types of irons as provided for a similar purpose.

A further object is to provide an iron for the purpose described, of improved form and construction such that the iron, when driven into a cross tie, is not only self-anchoring or selflocking in the tie-embedded position thereof, but possesses the property of increasing its holding power in response to increase of tension on the iron, this feature being attained by the construc. tion of one or both ends of the iron to provide tie-gripping elements which function in an improved manner, to lock the iron to the tie.

A further object is to provide an improved iron of the character and for thepurpose described, which may be employed either as a unit, or in cooperation with one or more additional irons, for most effectively reinforcing the end section of a railway cross tie against spikesplitting, season checking or splitting resulting from the usual seasoning or weathering effects, the effects of spike and rail loadings, and any irregularities in the grain and internal structure of the cross tie.

Further objects and advantages of the presently improved iron will appear readily from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a-view in perspective, of oneform of tie-iron embodying the features of the invention, and Fig. 2 illustrates the application of the iron cf Fig. 1, to the end-section of a railway cross tie, there being shown by this figure also, a somewhat modified form of tie-iron embodying the features of the invention.

Referring to the drawingby appropriate reference characters, the improved iron Ill is constructed of a suitable gauge, metal strip of a desired length initially, which strip is reduced along one longitudinal marginal edge II and sub- I2, whereby to facilitate edgewise entering and stantially over the length of the strip, to proway tie .or other timber.

As shown indetail by Fig. 1, the iron as formed from a, single, unitary metal strip, comprises a body portion I3 of substantial rectilinear extent, sufficient to extend beyond the usual zones of spike split tendencies, and opposed end members l4 projecting laterally from the opposite ends I5 of the body. The end members preferably project from the same side of the body, and each is formed to present a straight or rectilinear section I6 of an extent which is relatively short in comparison with the length .of the body I3. The section I6 is integrally united or joined to the end I5 of the body, by an arcuate portion or section I'I having a substantial curvature, as shown. Further, the opposed members I4 project inwardly, toward each other substantially to the degree illustrated in Fig. 1, and each terminates adjacent the free end of the section I6, in a terminal element I8. The terminal element I8 according to the embodiment of Fig. 1, extends laterally of the section I6 and toward the body I3, and is formed toprovide an arcuate portion I9 joining with the section I6, and an inturned, rectilinear portion 20 terminating adjacently to or in end-abutment with thesection IS. The element I8 thus may be characterized as a terminal loop or eye, having in end elevation as shown in Fig. 2, a substantially closed, substantially semi-circular configuration.

It is to be observed that in the now completed iron, the beveled entering edge I2 follows the contour of the end members I4, so that substantially the entire extent of the knife-like edge remains effective for the purposes described.

Inthe application of the improved tie-iron to the end of a rail cross-tie, the tie end is first inspected to ascertain the condition thereof, whereupon the iron'is located and driven into the tie end in a position which will be most effective to prevent expected or continued splitting, check- 7 ing or the like, alongthe lines and in the areas known to be subject thereto. In Fig. 2 is shown anendelevation of a usual railway cross tie 25, showing thetimber heart area 26, developed season checks 21 and in the present example, a ma jor vertical checker break 28 extending from topto bottom of the tie end. The problem of major importance presented by the tie end shown, is the preventing of any vertical spike splitting, as Well as the prevention of any further splitting along the break 28. Accordingly, an iron of the improved construction herein described and shown, is driven into the tie end in the relative position illustrated in Fig. 2, such that the body l3 extends normal to and across the break 28, with the end members l4 substantially equidistant from the break. In driving the iron, each loop element l8 encloses and securely grips a section 29 of the tie end, thereby self-locking the iron in its embedded position in the end of the cross tie. This self-locking feature resulting from the loop form of the terminal elements I8, together with the general form of the endmembers [4, serves to increase the efiectiveness and holding power of the iron to a very marked degree, and further, serves to prevent endwise displacement and deformation of the iron. Moreover, the arcuate sections I! which may be termed the shoulders of the iron, by reason of the substantial curvature of each, effectively and substantially uniformly distribute the stresses developed in the iron, through adjacent portions of the tie end.

A novel characteristic and feature of the present design of anti-splitting device, results from the effect of the relatively small, terminal loops which serve to key the ends of the iron securely in a fixed position in the timber. These are driven into sound timber areas or zones, in the initial setting or driving of the iron, and their small radii preclude any straightening tend- Y ency of the terminals as the body of the iron is put under increasing tension. When, due to seasoning eifects, for example, the body of the iron is increasingly subject to tension, there results a tendency of the widely curved, arcuate shoulders to compress the wood along their concave sides, and inwardly of the arms of the iron, and as the wood in these regions is increasingly compressed along the lines of the arrows in Fig. 2, the iron as a whole is more snugly retained in the timber, and its holding power against splitting stresses pro tanto augmented.

It is to be noted as an advantage of the substantially closed terminal loops, that there is practically no tendency for the irons to tangle or be interlocked in the shipping containers or those used incident to driving.

In the exemplary disclosure of Fig. 2, the major break 28 as well as the season checks 21, may be more effectively restrained by the use of more than one iron. Therefore, where two irons are utilized for the purpose, it is preferred to locate them such that one iron, as 30, is arranged in the upper half of the cross tie end, with the opposite end members [4 embedded in the upper quadrant areas of the tie end, and projected downwardly as shown. The other iron, as 3|, then is similarly located, but in the lower half, and such that the iron end members are embedded in the lower quadrant areas of the tie end, with the loop members projecting upwardly toward the members [4 of the upper iron.

With further reference to Fig. 2, the upper iron 30 is shown as being of the form illustrated by Fig. 1. Although the lower iron 3| may be a duplicate of the iron 30, it is here shown to be of a slightly modified form, the differences being in the end terminal elements as will now appear.

The elements of the modified iron 3! which remain unchanged or substantially correspond in form, to the like elements of the iron 30, are designated by the reference numerals heretofore employed in the description of the iron according to Fig. 1. Thus the modified iron comprises a rectilinear body l3, and opposed end members [4 each including the arcuate shoulder section I! and the rectilinear section It. As appears in Fig. 2, each end member l4 includes a terminal element located near the free end of the section [6 and projected laterally thereof, the terminal element being substantially circular in form and having its end 36 terminating adjacently to or in abutment with the section I6. The terminal element thus may be characterized as a terminal loop or eye, having in end elevation as shown, a closed, circular configuration.

The relation of the different elements of the anti-splitting devices herein described and claimed, and the purposes and relation of such parts to the timber, are similar in principle to the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 340,491 filed concurrently herewith on June 14, 1940, and to which attention is directed by way of more detailed explanation of the reasons for improved timber holding power attained by the present developments.

The improved irons according to the embodiments herein disclosed, fully attain the several objects stated hereinabove, as well as additional objects and advantages now readily apparent. Moreover, it will be understood that alterations or modifications in the form and construction of the irons herein illustrated and described, may be made without departing from the nature and intended scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A split-checking iron formed of strip metal and shaped to provide a rectilinear body of substantial length, and terminal members extending laterally from the opposite ends of the body, each of said members comprising a rectilinear section of a length substantially less than that of the body, an arcuate section of substantial curvature, integrally uniting said rectilinear section and one end of the body, and a terminal element on the free end of the rectilinear section, extending laterally thereof toward said body, said terminal element having a substantially semicircular configuration and including a straight portion terminating substantially in end-abutment with said rectilinear section.

2. A split-checking iron formed of strip metal and shaped to provide a rectilinear body of substantial length, and terminal members at the opposite ends of the body, extending laterally from the same side thereof and being directed inwardly toward each other, each of said members comprising a rectilinear section of a length substantially less than that of the body, an arcuate section of substantial curvature, integrally uniting said rectilinear section and one end of the body, and a terminal element on the free end of the rectilinear section, extending laterally thereof toward said body, said terminal element having a substantially semi-circular configuration and including a straight portion terminating substantially in end-abutment with said rectilinear section.

3. An anti-splitting device for hardwood cross ties, comprising a body member and arms members at the ends'thereof, extending from the same side of the body member, a substantially closed, self-locking terminal at the free end of each arm, said terminal including rectilinear and curved portions, said body and arm members being relatively arranged and proportioned such that the device in application to a tie end, in either the upper or the lower half thereof, spans the spiking areas and intersects at substantially a right angle,

minal extending inwardly of the arm end and including rectilinear and curved portions, each of said terminals serving upon embedding the anchor in a tie-end, to separate and embrace a segment of the timber, thereby to lock the anchor in place and prevent slippage of the same.

RAYMOND E. BEEGLE. 

